Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Food Substitutions

Since we live in the middle of nowhere, if I'm out of an ingredient, just running to the store isn't an option. Plus I do a lot of cooking during Goose's naptime, so I couldn't go anywhere even if I wanted! Enter The Cook's Thesaurus.

I have used it for a huge variety of things - what the proportion of ingredients is for self-rising flour (since I don't buy it), how much molasses and white sugar makes brown sugar, what cuts of beef are similar to swap out in recipes, and the list goes on. I've found it especially helpful when a recipe calls for a rather exotic ingredient that I can't find or is quite expensive. Often I can discover a more common, cheaper alternative, or I can confirm that I can leave it out with little ill effects.

Categories it covers include:
Vegetables * Fruits * Dairy * Flavorings * Liquids * Grains * Grain Products * Baked Goods * Legumes and Nuts * Meats * Fish * Vegetarian * Baking Supplies * Fats & Oils * Accompaniments * Equipment * Miscellaneous

There is also a search box in case you're not quite sure where your ingredient falls. I've used this site a LOT and have never been let down!

Interestingly, I've found there are two web addresses that both point to The Cook's Thesaurus. They are http://www.switcheroo.com/ and http://www.foodsubs.com/. I usually type in the switcheroo one because I can remember it more easily.

Happy substituting! For more kitchen tips, visit Tammy's Recipes.

5 comments:

Lori said...

Neato! I didn't know about this site. :) I've got it bookmarked and I'm sure I'll get alot of useful info from here! So glad you posted it! :)

Lori said...

Neato! I didn't know about this site. :) I've got it bookmarked and I'm sure I'll get alot of useful info from here! So glad you posted it! :)

Alea Milham said...

Thanks for the link! What a great resource for those of us who don't want to drive all the way to town for one ingredient.

Valerie @ Frugal Family Fun Blog said...

What a great tip! I'm bookmarking it. Why is it that it seems like I always need to substitute things when there is company coming to visit??

Sarah said...

What a great resource! I'm going to have to bookmark that . . .

Best,
Sarah